Comparison of Phenol Application and Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment in Pediatric Pilonidal Sinus Disease

The optimal treatment for pilonidal sinus disease remains controversial; however, minimally invasive methods are becoming increasingly common in children compared to traditional surgical approaches. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of two different minimally invasive methods for treating pediatric pilonidal sinus disease: phenol application and endoscopic pilonidal sinus treatment (EPSiT).

Children who underwent EPSiT or phenolization for pilonidal sinus disease between January 2016 and January 2023 were included in the study. The patients' age, sex, treatment method, number of phenol applications or EPSiT procedures, visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores at postoperative 3 h, length of hospital stay, time to return to daily activities, early postoperative complications, and recurrence were analyzed.

A total of 61 patients were included in the study, 38 males (62.3%) and 23 females (37.7%). The mean age was 15.18 ± 1.7 years. Thirty patients (49.2%) were in the EPSiT treatment group, and 31 patients (50.8%) were in the phenol treatment group. Postoperative VAS pain scores were significantly higher in the phenolization group than in the EPSiT group (2.68 ± 1.92 vs. 1; p < 0.001). Time to return to daily activities, number of applications, early postoperative complications, and recurrence were significantly lower in the EPSiT group compared to the phenol group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.023, and p < 0.001, respectively).

For pediatric pilonidal sinus disease, EPSiT was more advantageous than phenol treatment in terms of postoperative pain, time to return to daily routine, early complications, and recurrence.